Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-04-02
WITH THE COSSACKS.
A BIT OF EXPERIENCE IN A
skIRMlsH WITH THE TURKS.


skIRMlsH WITH THE TURKS.
The Exhilarntion of Riding in Charge
Horses ms Vol MS Mon Feel UNIQUE
stimuius-An Impressive Devotional
Finale.
About the riddle Of autumn we made
reconnaissance in the direction of Ras-
grad, to endeeyor to discover the strength
OF the enemy there. Three regiments ~
Cossacl1s made up tho force, and we
marched all day and part Of the night be-
lore we came IN the vicinity Of the enemy.
On the morning Of the second day it was
reported that o considerable detachment
OF Turkish irrcgulars was cncamped q
snort distance in front of us. Wo had
Deen moving during the night with as
niue noise as possible, and had bivouacked
IN tho rain without building fire. in
order 10 give no notice OF our approach To
the ene1ny's pickets. 1t was only inst
daybreak when the orders TO march were
gwen, and the column proceeded cautious
ly with few scouts in advances
In o half hour or SO we who were riding
O. little ahead of the column could see tho
characteristic conical Turkish tents as
semoled In little valley = short distance
beyond. AT the same instance our scouts
engaged the enemy's pickets, and the
column halted The camp in sight was
evidently only large outpost, and the
general Immediately gave orders for one
regiment 10 form and charge through the
camp We could zee the men of the des-
ignated regiment uncover and cross them
selves, and in moment the head Of tho
detachment was rapidly moving PAST us.
Among tho officers rode the major, nv
old friend of the Dobrudscha, who. I'M
known to me, had been promoted to n
lieutenant colonelcy and transferred to
another regiment AS he dashed past ho
made gesture of recognition and waved
his hand for me to follow.
RIDING IN A CHARGE.
believe it was moro the horse's fauIt
than my own, for certainly never had a
deliberate intention of riding in n CHARGE
If could help, but before knew it was
at the majors side. Off we went ct n
trot, changing our formation to regi-
mental front. Then, in an irregular line,
much broken by the inequalities Of the
we swept down the slope ct q
gallop, There was some firing, and foy
CossGcks fell, but | doubt if ANYBODY
heard shot. Tho thunder Of the hoofs,
the shaking Of the grain bags, the rafting
OF the cooking utensils and the resound-
ing Whacks Of the nagajkas filed the air
with multitude Of noises which drowned
all other sounds. The eXhilaration OF the
moment was supreme. Horses as well as
men felt its unique stimulus. and wa
rushed through that camp, sweeping it
away as the sudden cloudburst in tbo
Rockies tears out the bed of the arrova
IL was one OF those rare moments Of life /
when all sense of individuality is merged
IN that utterly overwhelming feeling of |
eTaltation, in that intoxication Of magnet
Ism which often possesses large masses OF |
men moved by some grand and stimuli
famous impulse. 1t was, perhaps. sitter |
all, very trivial affair from militarv
point of view, but the sensation experi- !
snced was by no means insignificant on
easily forgotten. r
Part Of the Turkish force took to fight /
II Glne and escaped; those who remained
% uelend tnelr camp were sabred, spitted
IKE fowl on the lances or captured and led
back to the main column at the end of q
ariat. Tho finale of this little incident
vas fully as impressive as tho charge it.
elf, although in quite another way.
Atter we mado camp that night the men
II the regiment which had engaged the
nemy were drawn up in line with uncoy-
red heads and sang religious hymn in
horus How different now were those
aces which few hours before had been
distorted with the cruel expressions Of
latred of the infidel, or gloriied by the
Xcitement OF the charge or with the
onsciousness CT victory. Uniforms apart,
he men looked like rank of devout.
eaceful farmers, bronzed by the sun in
he fields and begrimed with the dust of
griculture The hymn rolled forth in
uaint, sad cadences, tuned to q minor
ey, like most of the native melodies.
Along the ranks gap purposely left here
nd there showed where u comrnde Ind II
TODD the day before. Although I could +
OF catch word they sang, the signif-
nnco OF the hymn could not be mistaken.
iany rough hands brushed fearful ewes
efore the last mournful note died AWAY
nd the regiment then dispersed about the
amp with a quiet step, as if the least
olse were an insult to the dead. i. d. \
illicit in Harper's. /